butt. He was bronze and beautiful.
Head in the game. He’s going to think you’re some kind of perv if you keep staring at him like he’s a meal. She forced her fingers to pull the T-shirt she’d been wearing over her head. Then she lost the jeans, bra and finally the pink lacy thong. She’d never once had a massage completely nude. This would be an entirely new experience for her in more ways than one.
Hurrying, she slid under the cool sheets. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Jackson turned toward her. “It’s going to be fine, I promise.”
“I know,” she said. “This is a bit unorthodox. I mean are we going to have to use the services of everyone we interview?”
Jackson chuckled. “That would be entertaining but time-consuming. No, it’s this place that caters to a certain level of clientele. I have a hunch we may find something out here. Don’t ask me why, but I always follow my hunches.”
It was a hell of a lot more than what she had to go on. “Well, what’s the worst that can happen? We get a massage. I’ve had worse assignments.” Not really, but she could at least pretend she had.
“You said it.” There was sadness, and perhaps a touch of deep regret in his voice, which made her look at him more closely. He sounded as if he’d been through hell.
Jackson pushed the buzzer and Mar took a big breath. This was going to be one to share with the girls back at the office. They’d crack up when they heard that she was naked in a room with a man getting a massage. She could almost hear Katie’s “Yeah, right. You had to get naked with a hot guy, and get a massage—for the job. Why can’t I get those kinds of cases?” Mariska smiled. Yes, her friend would give her a hard time, but if this worked and she found Gladstone, she’d also be proud of her.
Katie had made it her sole mission to protect Mariska, and to help her through one of the toughest times of her life when her mother had died. But that didn’t keep her best friend from joking with her.
Mar clasped her hands under her chin. She needed to focus. She didn’t want Jackson to think she was some kind of amateur.
You are an amateur. Yes, but he doesn’t have to know that.
She stole one more glance and found him smiling at her.
“Ready?” he said as the door opened.
No. She smiled back at him. What in the hell am I doing?
4
AS JACKSON WATCHED the masseuse run her hands along Mariska’s spine he had trouble concentrating on what they needed to accomplish here. It’s all about the job. He couldn’t think about her dewy soft skin, and the way Mariska moaned slightly when the woman hit a particular spot between her shoulders.
Did she make that sound during sex? It didn’t help that the room was filled with a spicy sandalwood scent from the candles and the oil. He wondered what it would be like if his hands caused that tiny but extremely effective noise.
For the life of him, he couldn’t remember why he thought a couples massage was such a great idea. Thanks to her moans it would be a while before he would be able to flip to his backside.
His purpose upon entering the room had been to chat up the two women working on them, but they refused to talk. It was almost as if they’d been told to keep quiet.
Mariska turned her head toward him and gave a sweet smile. “Honey, this was such a wonderful idea.” Mariska sighed happily. “I’m so glad your friend Mr. Gladstone recommended it.”
The tiny woman who’d been running her hands up and down his body had climbed up onto the table and held on to a large wire mounted to the ceiling as she used her feet to do the work of untying the knots in his back. At the mention of Mr. Gladstone, she’d paused.
“I’ll have to remember to thank him when I see him,” Jackson said. The repetitive footwork began again. “He must be busy with his meeting, since he hasn’t called yet. He was supposed to contact me this morning, but no one has heard from him.”
“Oh.” Mariska had thrown some worry into her voice. “I hope he’s okay.”
Jackson shot a glance at the woman working on Mariska and saw that she had a frown on her face, as if she was about to say something but thought better of it. He wondered if she had been the one to give Gladstone his massage.
“Me, too,” Jackson added. “He was going to suggest a club for us to visit, too. Said it was wild, but I told him we like to step out of our comfort zone when we travel. You know how much I want to play cards while we’re here. I know there has to be some action somewhere, but I have no idea where to look.”
“Hon, you and your cards. Don’t you think that money would be better spent on shoes?” She giggled, and he laughed along with her. She played the part well.
“I’m kidding. Maybe someone at the hotel, or maybe even here, will know a place we can go tonight,” she said. “I want to go dancing. After this massage I’ll feel all warm and sexy. Dancing with you would be so perfect. Then we’ll find you a card game. What do you say, honey, are you up for it?”
Oh, I’m definitely up. Her voice deepened to a sexy soft velvet when she said the words sexy and warm, sending his senses into overdrive. Calm down. She’s only doing her job. Jackson cleared his throat, but before he could answer, the woman working on Mariska chimed in.
“Best dance club is Phatong,” she said in a singsong voice. “Very sexy. You wear short dress. Not very many married couple go, though. Mostly businessmen looking for women and if you ask right people you can find card—”
The woman working on his back hissed as if to shush the other one.
The girl walking on Mariska’s back shrugged. Jackson found the interplay between the two women interesting. He couldn’t tell if the older woman didn’t want the younger one to share information, or if she was concerned for Mariska and him.
“Oh, that sounds like fun. Thank you,” Mariska said. “We love dancing. Then maybe we can, um, find those people she talked about so you can play cards, honey.” Mariska was definitely getting into their charade.
From the toe action down his spine Jackson thought the woman walking on top of him might be angry. If she dug into his shoulder one more time, he might have to take her out. It hadn’t completely healed from the beating he’d received from Vlad’s men a few months ago.
It appeared to him as if Phatong would be the best place to continue their search for Gladstone. He’d seen the club a couple of days ago when he quickly toured the red light district searching for one of his old contacts. Of course, the man was nowhere to be found. It was no coincidence that anyone who could have possibly helped Jackson seemed to have disappeared.
She jumped off the table and patted his shoulder. “I do front now.” That was her way of ordering him to flip over. Jackson considered it for a moment and realized his thinking about Vlad had rid his mind of all the sexy thoughts from before.
All he had to do was try and not look at or listen to the sensual Mariska.
BEFORE
